George e



(No Model.)

G. E. LORD. FOLDING TABLE.

No. 581,915. Patented May .4, 1897. Fic.2.

Wirnzssts. 3 5 g IEQNQRQ zzy/WW B M ATTORNEYS5 NITED STATES GEORGE E.LORD, OF UTIOA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HELEN M. LORD rrrcn.

OF SAME PL AGE.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,915, dated May 4,1897'.

Application fil d June 1,1896. Serial No. 59am.- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. LORD, of Utica, in the county of Oneidaand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Folding Tables; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to folding tables.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specificationand in which similar figures of reference refer to corresponding parts,Figure 1 shows in perspective my folding table in open or extendedposition. Fig. 2 shows in perspective the table closed or folded. Fig. 3is a section taken on line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a bottom view. Fig.5 is a detail showing the hinges em ployed in the construction. Fig. 6shows in perspective one of the parts of the hinges employed in theconstruct-ion. Fig. 7 shows in detail,on a larger scale, the pivotbetween one set of legs and the table-top.

Referring to the reference-numbers, l and 2 indicate the two parts ofthe folding top, the top being divided diagonally into these two parts.Adjacent to the dividing-line and near each end of it each part isprovided with a hinge part 3 3, die, secured to the under side of thetable parts. These hinge parts are pivoted together and the ends of thelegs 1 4 secured and pivoted by a pivot 5. Between the lower portion ofthe legs 4 4 is provided a crossbar 6, which is securely attached toeach leg. The legs 7 7 are connected at the upper ends by a cross-piece8 and adjacent to their lower ends by a cross-piece 9, and thecross-piece 9, at its middle, is pivoted to the middle of thecross-piece 6 by the pivotal bolt 10. In the joint between the bars 6and 9 and coiled around the bolt 10 is located a. spring 11, the upperend of which is secured in the crosspiece 9 and the lower end secu redin the crosspiece 6. On the cross-bar 8 is located a pivot pin 12, whichis adapted to engage in semi circular sockets 13 in the edges of the topparts 1 and 2 when the table is open. These notches,

however, do not extend to the upper surface of the table. Stops 14.- and15 are provided, secured on the under sides of the parts of the top tolimit the rotary swinging movement of the legs 7 7 with theirframe-bars. It will be noted that the cross-bar 6 between the legs 4t 4engages on opposite sides of this pair of legs and is curved at itsouter ends, as shown at 6, to permit the legs 7 to fold into the sameplane as the legs 4.

\Vhen the table is folded in position, as shown in Fig. 2, the top parts1 and 2 confine the bar 8 and the legs 7 7 in folded position and in thesame plane with the legs 4:. When the top, however, is extended so thatthe two parts come into the same plane, the pivot 12 is held by thesocket in the center of the top and the spring 11 operates to swing thelegs 7 7 into a position at right angles with the legs 4 at and so thatthe cross-bar 8 will stand at right angles to the division-line betweenthe parts of the top. When it has reached this position, the stops l-Land 15 prevent any further movement, and in this position the top issecured against folding.

To fold the table, the legs 7 7, with their frame-bars togetherconstituting a single rigid frame, are brought by hand into the sameplane with the legs 4, when the top parts will fold down into theposition shown in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the upper edge of the bar 8 is cut out at 8"between the pivot 12 and the outer end of the bar, so as not to producean undue amount of friction when the rotary frame is swung into or outof folding position.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding table a two-part top, each part hinged or pivoted to theother and to the upper ends of a pair of legs, a rotating frameincluding a second pair of legs having a central pivot adapted to engagein a socket in the edges of the top parts, substantially as set forth.

2. In a foldingtable the combination of the two-part folding top, legshinged to the top, the rotary frame including a pair of legs and havinga central pivot adapted to engage in half-sockets in the meeting edgesof the top parts, and a spring for operating the frame, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination of the two-part folding top, legs hinged directly toeach part of the top, a rotary frame including a second set of legshavinga vertical pivot adapted to engage in sockets in the edges of thetop parts, a spring for operating the frame and astop for limiting itsswingingmovement,snbstantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a folding table of the folding top parts, a pairof legs hinged to the top on the line of separation between the partsand connected by a cross-bar below the hinges,

v a frame carrying a second set of legs pivoted at its upper end to thetop and pivoted on the cross-bar between the first-mentioned set oflegs, an opening-spring located in the lastmentioned pivotal joint andstops for limiting the swinging movement of the second set of legs,substantially as set forth.

5. In a folding table the two-part top, hinge partssecured on oppositeparts of top having inclined arms to brin the pivot thereof below theplane of the under surface of the top and substantially directly belowthe line of separation of the parts, a pair of legs, a rotary frameincluding a second set of legs pivoted to the table, provision for theframe in folded position being made between the folded parts of the topby the inclined arms of hinges, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a folding table of the two-part top, a pair oflegs, hinges secured to each part and having their pivot below the planeof under surface of table and said legs pivoted on the hinge-pivots, arotary frame including a second set of legs pivoted at its lower end toa cross-bar between the firstmentioned pair of legs and provided with apivot at its upper end adapted to bereceived in sockets in the meetingedges of the top when open and the upper end of frame being confinedbetween the top parts when folded, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have affixed my signato re in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE E. LORD.

Witnesses:

D. H. COLEGROVE, E. WILLARD J ONES.

